A New Beginning
by emz1nr
Summary: [Based from the events of Season 1 episode 6.] Emily has grown up without any real sense of belonging, no family, no friends and no direction in life. When infection breaks and the world crumbles, Emily recognizes her chance at a new beginning, and hopes to put her haunted past behind her with the help of new friends.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys, this is my first ever fanfiction, therefore I would great appreciate any constructive criticism you have! It follows the story of a young girl Emily (an OC of mine), this first chapter follows closely with the events of the show but as it develops I hope to break off into Emily's story. Thanks for taking the time to have a read :)**

* * *

Emily woke disoriented, her eyes taking a moment to re-adjust to light and focus her surroundings. She buried her head into her hands, rubbing her face and scratching at the dry, flaky substance on her forehead. Confused; she pulls her hand away from her face to look at what was underneath her fingernails, _blood,_ and from the stinging sensation at her hairline she confirmed that it was most likely her own.

Emily plants her palms on the concrete beside her and pushes herself up from the ground, letting out a pained breath, her body stiff from spending who knows how long on that concrete floor. Her lips parted and eyes narrowed, she scans her environment, it is bleak and cold as one would expect being confined to a cage. It was bare, housing one row of metal benches and sitting on those metal benches were two males.

The first of the two, was a young, lean male with dark matted hair. His clothes ill fitting and filthy. His rich brown eyes were fixated on her, they were a warm presence she hadn't felt in a long time. He was curious about her, unlike the second male, who was a well groomed African-American male who sat upright, brushing off his perfectly fitted suit, completely uninterested in her arrival.

Emily held eye contact with the younger male for just a moment before she broke and shuffled towards the edge of the cell, pressing her face against the cool steel of their cage, peering out. Their cage wasn't the only one. There were more than a dozen all holding two to three people, some more; varying ages, adults, teenagers and _children._

Something ignited in Emily after spotting a young child, shivering in the cage across from her. Agitated she lashed out on the cage with her fists rattling hard and fast. "What _is_ this!" She yelled.

"I'd rather you didn't draw attention to us." Said ever so calmly by the male wearing the suit.

Emily jerked her head and clenched her jaw before responding. "And why is that? Trying to lay low? Should've tried that before you were snatched up."

"What makes you think I was _snatched_ up?" He didn't turn his head to look directly at her but Emily could feel him eyeballing her through the corner of his eye.

"I find it very hard to believe anybody would be willingly be placed in a cage."

This spiked tension between the two, Nick made an attempt to break the silence, "I'm Nick and this is Strand." With a slight smile that tugged at his lips, gesturing towards the male Emily was ready to lock fists with.

Just as Emily was about to reply a firefight of bullets could be heard from outside the walls of their prison, drawing the attention of the guards who had been circling their cells. Emily watched as the guards ran in the same direction, turning back to the two of them unlocking the door to their cage. She gapes at them leaving the cage, "what are you doing?"

"Nothing that concerns you." … "Nick lock the cage."

The panic grew louder in the surrounding holding cells as families watched the two of them leaving, begging to be set free, their voices all fighting over the top of one another.

Nick froze and stared at Emily, her brow furrows. "What about the others?" He asked.

"We don't have time." Strand shoots back at Nick. "Lock it up and let's go. Now!"

Nick's eyes flitted between Emily, the other cells and the lock in his hand. His breathing became laboured, he swipes at the sweat forming on his forehead. Emily stared wide-eyed at Nick, she could see the internal war he was fighting. _What is right and what is wrong when we are all playing to survive?_ Her heart clenched, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. She couldn't be angry with someone who had no choice but to condemn her to death.

Although she understood why, she still feels anger seep into her veins. She opens her eyes to see Nick is gone. She rushes toward her cell door, angry, upset and _scared._ She slammed the door with two closed fists and unexpectedly the door jarred open, stumbling forward, she had not expected it to give. It was unlocked.

Emily let out a staggered sigh of relief, tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. In a world now overrun with infection she knew that survival was first and foremost to _almost_ everyone. She headed towards the dimmed exit sign in a daze, trapped within her own thoughts. " _He didn't even know my name."_ Before stepping through the exit, she turned back slowly to those left within their cells. There was nothing she could do and that made her stomach turn.

The corridors were a maze to Emily, the same grey brick lining them all. Working hard but quietly to pass through them as quickly as she could, avoiding the attention of soldiers passing by. She felt her heart pound hard against her chest wall; harder and faster than she had ever felt before. She had no idea where she was and therefore no idea where she was headed, similar to the way she lived her life before infection spread; all she searched for was an exit.

* * *

She ducks through a door into what appears to be the reception area of the building, coming to an immediate halt, she lowers herself quickly to evade being seen and crawls behind the desk to her right. Peeping over the desk she identifies the two males as Nick and Strand.

Strand squats calmly next to a unidentified soldier having his leg feasted on by an infected whilst Nick stands back cautiously. The soldier is begging him to take his life and Emily doesn't quite catch what is said by Strand in response but notices him pick up a gun from an already deceased soldier as a group of infected break through into the room.

"He was my ride out of here." Strand explained to Nick before heading out of the door opposite them.

Emily crawls out from behind the desk and climbs to her feet as swiftly as she can, the infected are beginning to enter the room through the doors to the left of her. Before attempting to exit, she turns to smash the glass of the "Emergency Fire Supplies" box behind her and retrieves the pickhead axe from within, _for safety measures._

As she turns around to exit in the same direction as Nick and Strand she is face-to-face with an infected, without hesitation she swings the axe for his temporal lobe, _CRACK!_ The sound of the axe penetrating flesh and bone immediately turns Emily's stomach to liquid. The infected falls to the ground with a thud and Emily simultaneously turns and kneels to the ground, holding her hair back from her face with one hand and bracing herself with the other. Her stomach clenches as she releases the vomit from within with a single heave.

Emily takes in a couple of sharp, shallow breaths before wiping her mouth with her sleeve. She turns back to the infected that lay limp on the floor, placing a single boot on it's chest and her hands around the handle of the axe, she pulls with extreme force ripping the axe from its skull. In a hurry she passes the oncoming horde of infected with a side step and exits through the same doors as Strand and Nick.

Reaching the doors at the end of the corridor, both Nick and Strand attempt to push through them. The doors remain locked in place and don't give way to their attempts. Completely unaware they had been so closely followed by Emily, she ducks into a open door along the corridor to keep it that way. Nick continues to push through the doors as Strand turns back to the horde of infected approaching, "that's unfortunate" he proclaims.

Nick attempts multiple times to bash his way through the doors, using the full weight of his body with every slam, as Strand prepares to confront the large masses of infected with his pistol, emptying the mag in an attempt to slow them down. Emily watches on through the door she had left ajar, the numbers of infected are increasing by the second and Strand's attempts had hardly made an impact.

Emily can see the fear shadowing Nick's once warm eyes and it is at that point, without much thought, she decides to do what she should have several minutes ago. She swings the door open and in a huff sprints towards the infected, axe in hand. Using every ounce her body weight she slams the axe through the skulls of the infected.

The infected begin to drop, each time with a loud thud as they hit the concrete flooring. The fallen begin to block the paths of those following closely behind, slowing them down as they trip, fall and climb back to their feet. Emily is forced backwards towards Strand and Nick, who both stare, astonished to see a familiar face. A familiar face that Strand had believed to be still locked in a cell.

"Mom!" Nick screamed from behind Emily. "Mom! Mom!"

Emily turned her head quickly to look at Nick. There were people on the other side, their faces etched with fear. _Thank God._ Emily thought to herself, as she turns back to swing and land her axe in the neck of an infected almost in reach of her.

Strand and Emily continued to hold off the horde of infected with an axe and a limited supply of ammunition. "Are those doors going to open any time soon Nick?" Emily questions whilst lifting her boot to the chest of an infected in an attempt to remove it from her axe.

Nick turned to Emily, audibly swallowed hard, "I hope so."

The infected were drawing closer to the three of them, Emily began to feel the adrenaline that was coursing through her system fade and her muscles beginning to cramp, her body became languid from the repeated motion of swinging her axe; her face red with gore, from the blood shed of those she swung her axe at. Her surroundings became a blur as she lowered her axe in fatigue. Struggling to regain her breath she let out a whimpering cry of defeat.

Then she felt it, a tug at the collar of her shirt as she was dragged through the door that was now opened. Nick had saved her life once more, "Let's go!" He screamed.

Without time to close the doors behind them the infected continued to follow as they all scurried down the stairs. As Emily pushed to keep up with the others, noticing that her stamina was replenished, questioning whether it may actually be her hope that had been restored.

A woman with dark hair in blue scrubs led the way into an abandoned kitchen. As the group survey the kitchen with caution, they are ambushed by another group of infected who had been hidden within the kitchen. Emily is confronted by an infected male, gripping her axe with both hands, she raises it far above her head before hammering down into the face of the infected male, whilst letting out a deep groan of exhaustion from within.

Once the others had fought off the remaining infected individuals, with their varying techniques and use of weapons, the group headed for an exit. Once outside of the kitchen Strand had found a mop to thread between the handles of the door behind them. "How did you manage your way out of that cell?" His question directed at Emily.

Emily gave a grimace of disgust, irritated that his first words to her weren't a simple thank you for saving his life back in that corridor. Before being able to respond Madison bluntly interrupted, "who the hell are you?"

Both Emily and Strand darted their eyes towards her. Nick raced over and piped in, "they saved my life mom", resting a hand on her shoulder. "Guys, this is Madison. Mom, this is Strand and this is…"

"I'm Emily." She stated, remembering that she hadn't had the chance to share her name earlier.

The group was once again led by the woman in blue scrubs, this time into the hospital ward where a dozen or so bodies were systematically laid out on beds with the same penetrating wound to the center of their heads. Amongst these individuals sat a woman, a doctor. Her eyes were empty. As the woman in blue scrubs approached her for directions, Madison asks Emily to help scavenge supplies together, "anything that may prove useful."

"...You can get out, but there's nowhere to go." The doctor explained to the group as Emily surfaced from the drug cupboards with countless bottles of antibiotics and painkillers.

"Come with us, there are people you can still help." The woman in the blue scrubs pleaded with the doctor as the group began to leave the room, before Madison called her name " _Liza,_ we have to go _."_

As they descended into the sublevel, Emily followed Madison, Strand and Liza. "What's the master plan?" Strand questioned.

Eyes forward and continuing to descend Madison replied, "what do you mean?"

"Like a destination, an endpoint?"

"We are heading east, to the desert, should be safe there."

"But it's not."

Madison stopped and turned back and looked square in the eyes, "what do you suggest Mr. Strand?"

"Go west." He suggested.

"What's west?"

"I have a home on the water, enough supplies. I'm prepared." He assured.

Without a word Madison turned her back and continued for the exit.

* * *

Once outside, the group walked passed a mound of ash and bone that filled their noses with the horrid smell of burnt human flesh. Everyone silently came to a halt. Emily's throat became a desert, finding it incredibly hard to swallow the lump that was forming in her throat. One by one, the group peeled off, heading in the direction intended; as Emily and two other individuals, who appeared to be of Salvadoran descent stayed back staring at the mound.

Emily shook her head as if she was trying to shake the thoughts from her head and moved on as the younger female, with chocolate brown hair and a harsh jaw line began to sob. Emily turned back for a short second at the sound of her cries to see the older male, with lightly wrinkled skin and a receding hairline, bite the inside of his lip and place an arm around her in a comforting embrace. His eyes filled with just as much pain as hers.

* * *

Travis swung open the door to the underground car park where they had left their children behind. "Chris. Alicia" He called out, shotgun in hand.

"Where's the car? Did they leave?" Madison questions.

"Oh no, Chris!" Travis calls out again. "Alicia!" Madison calls out with equal volume.

"Lower your voice, the dead will hear you." The older male says as he places a hand on Travis' shoulder.

Travis retaliates and shoves him into the bonnet of the truck continuing to call for his son Chris, as Madison does for Alicia.

"I'm here, mom!" A voice calls from the end of the garage. Two teenagers appear from a closed door. The boy dressed in tan coloured jeans and a black hoodie. His black, greasy, shoulder length hair bounced as he emerged from the door. _Chris,_ Emily assumed, explained to Travis _,_ that the SUV had been taken by soldiers. The woman in blue scrubs, that Emily now knew as _Liza,_ proceeded to embrace Chris.

To the left of him a very slim girl with long strong legs. Her hair was a mousy brown colour with ends highlighted a lighter shade of blonde. Emily watched on from a distance but could see that the features of her face were soft, despite her strong cheekbones. She was a pretty girl and did not look at all cut out for the world they were about to enter, in Emily's opinion.

Emily turned her head to the right where she noticed the younger woman from the mound of ash and bone had slid herself down a concrete pillar. She was broken and Emily's heart sunk for her.

"Salazar!" A deep voice coming from behind, startled, Emily turned around swiftly to see the man that matched the voice. Alight with fury he aimed the gun in his right hand directly at the older gentlemen.

Andy… Andy… Hey." The woman who was previously sat at the pillar had begin to rise slowly.

"Ofelia, don't." The older man demanded placing an arm out to ward her off.

Ignoring his demands, Ofelia continues forward. "Put the gun down, you don't have to do this okay."

Emily watches on in silence, as do the others. The man holding the pistol flicked his eyes between Ofelia and the older man. There was hatred burning through his eyes that he wanted to release with the shot of the gun he had equipped, and in the blink of an eye the gun was aimed at Ofelia, the bullet tore through the air before launching into the flesh of her shoulder.

Instantaneously Ofelia was driven backwards with the force of the bullet entering her system. The older man simultaneously dropped to her aid, quickly joined by Liza. As quickly as the both of them tended to Ofelia, Travis had tackled the man holding the pistol and pinned him to the floor. Repeatedly he landed blows to his face again and again and _again._

Expelling pure rage through his large fists that continued to lay into the man pinned to the floor, Emily almost, _nearly,_ felt sorry for him. Blood spilled onto the concrete floor around them and his face wasted no time in swelling. "Trav, leave him. Leave him!" Madison begged, calm but horrified at the scene.

Shortly after, Travis rose to his feel, out of breath and sucking back air desperately. Everyone gaped at what had just occurred, but all stayed silent. Travis' fists covered in blood.

* * *

Emily sat with Strand and Nick in the back of the sedan with Alicia and Madison up front, whilst the others rode in the pick up truck Travis was driving. Everyone was silent apart from Strand and Madison who discussed directions. Emily focused on the world outside the car, quiet and deserted, with the occasional infected walking aimlessly. She didn't know these people and she didn't know where she was going. It dawned on her that she didn't seem to know anything at all anymore.

They drove for what seemed like hours before arriving at Strand's property. Upon arrival, Strand punches in the code at the gate, unlocking it and heading inside. The rest of the group slowly make their way in behind him, silently breaking off into different corners of the house. "Hungry? Help yourself." Strand offers as he heads upstairs.

Emily takes deep breath in and holds it, exhaling slowly before scoping out the house. She can smell the salt of the sea and hear the waves crashing into the shore, feeling it draws her towards the balcony. Nick and his mother Madison were already outside and she chooses not to interrupt their reunion.

Art lined the walls of the hallway Emily found herself travelling down, they were abstract and contemporary and _distracting._ She found herself exploring these artworks more than what she intended, even stopping at a couple to run her fingers over the textured patterns.

It took three wrong doors and countless artwork before she reached her desired destination. _A bathroom._ She studied the bathroom, it had everything necessary of a bathroom with a few added features like a heated towel rack and heated flooring. These features were new to Emily and she didn't see the need for them. All she _needed_ at the moment was a basin with some hot water.

She stepped in front of the basin and looked at herself in the mirror. She tried to remain expressionless, as if the dried blood that covered her face and stained her hair crimson didn't phase her, but it did. Her stomach began to do continuous backflips and she felt nauseas; tears prickling at the corner of her eyes. She had never seen so much blood in her life. Blood that came at the swing of her axe.

She reached down and turned the hot water on, allowing the mirror to fog so she didn't have to look at herself any longer. She adjusts the temperature of the water and cups her hands, filling them, bending down she as begins to scrub the gore and grime from her face. Once she felt clean again, she remained in her bent over position and turned off the faucets. Trying to calm her mind, she regulates her breathing and tells herself "breathe in, breathe out." As if it were that simple.

Suddenly the door is pushed open and taps her on the hip. "I'm so sorry, I-… I didn't know anyone was in here."

Emily stood upright and wiped the excess water from her face with the inside of her shirt before looking up at who was attempting to enter the bathroom. It was Alicia. Her gentle green eyes, light and sincere. "It's okay, I'm just finishing up. All yours." She smiled and stepped aside, letting Alicia into the bathroom before heading towards the door.

"Wait." Emily stopped and turned back toward Alicia. "Thanks."

Emily raised a brow, this was their first encounter and whilst Emily didn't think she was thanking her for the bathroom and it must of been for something else, she quipped, "that's okay, I was finished anyway."

Her lips parted and she scrunched her nose, before understanding Emily's reply. "What? No. I meant for saving my brother's life."

"Oh. Your brother saved my life first, I was returning the favour."

"You didn't have to though."

Emily was taken back by the comment, she realised that Alicia was right, "I know, but I-" but before she could finish her sentence Alicia cut in, "Exactly, so thank you." She smiled.

"You're welcome." A small smile tugged at Emily's lips and she began to leave the room, when suddenly a large _bang_ came echoing through the house. Emily turned to face Alicia in utter shock, who had the same wide-eyed look to her. They both bolted from the bathroom and headed towards the outside of the house, where what sounded like a gunshot had come from. They both pressed themselves up against the balcony railing scanning the ground below, spotting an individual lying stark dead on the ground. Both motioned towards the stairs and began their descent.

When they arrived on lower ground they saw who had been shot. It was Liza, _Chris' mom._ Emily's stomach began to rapidly shift. It was one thing seeing an infected lay lifeless after being shot in the head, but a human being, who was not to long ago breathing, talking and _living_. She bent forward and rested her palms on her knees, lowering her head, attempting to put her nausea at bay. Struggling to swallow as if trying to swallow a jagged knife. Emily rises to full height again and directs her attention to Liza.

Liza's eyes were frozen in death. Chris' face turned red and he screamed out in hysterics for his mother whilst cradling her head in his arms. Cursing and praying all the same.

Alicia turned away in an attempt to control her emotions as Emily noticed tears begin to roll from her eyes to her chin. There was no explanation to this, Emily wanted answers, if not for herself, for Chris. _What had happened here, prior to this moment?_


	2. Chapter 2

Emily assumed it was well past midnight as she found herself struggling to keep her eyes open, even as the sky lit up intermittently, with a hue of orange in every bomb that the government had sent to the ground; attempting to _control the situation._ All she wanted was to succumb to sleep.

She boarded the smaller raft that would take her to _safety,_ she glanced down at her wrist watch.

 _17:00._

"Right" she muttered under her breath. She was well aware when she had purchased the watch from a man on the corner of the street, who looked as if he hadn't slept for 72 hours, that it wouldn't be genuine and therefore not waterproof, despite his claims.

Emily sat rigid on the edge of the raft, gripping the rope so tight that her hands began to cramp. She hadn't stepped foot on a boat before tonight and she didn't really want to again. They rode hastily out past the break, directly into crashing waves, every collison making her stomach churn confirming to Emily she wasn't particularly a fan of boats.

As Emily struggled with sleep deprivation, she could only rely on her other senses, closing her eyes for just a moment. She could feel the frozen salt water viciously pelting her skin, hear the sound of the violent shatter and destruction as each bomb hit the earth and the smell of smoke blended with a hint of sea salt.

 _The Abigail_ , the only two words that had come from Strand's mouth for the last several hours. _It had better be the very depiction of Heaven as he described._

Their boat pulled up to the enormous yacht and Emily let out a sigh of relief. The Abigail was the very picture of perfection, but all that mattered to Emily was that it could fit more than six people. Strand and Nick were the first to jump from the raft and both scurried up two flights of stairs in a hurry.

Emily, along with Daniel, helped Ofelia from the raft. She then continued to hold the raft in place whilst Alicia climbed out and stood next to Emily, her emerald green eyes lit up like burning balls of fire as she returned her focus to the sky.

Nick came bounding down the stairs and leaped into the raft, interrupting Emily's fixed gaze. "Do you need help?" She asked.

"No, just wait for us to come back."

She nodded firmly before planting her arse on the swimming deck, knees bent in front of her to lean her forearms on. She wanted to curl up into a ball and sleep but this would have to do for now.

* * *

Exhausted, Emily could feel her bones aching and her muscles beginning to tense and cramp. She was fighting a losing battle with her heavy eyelids. As she walked toward the couch she couldn't even find the energy to lift her feet from the ground, allowing them to drag along the floor. She didn't care of their whereabouts, or where they were headed, all that mattered to her was finding somewhere to rest her drowsy head.

She plopped herself down on the couch beside Ofelia, slumping down to rest her chin on her chest before intertwining her fingers and placing her hands on her stomach. Emily settled comfortably on the lounge and let out an enormous yawn from deep within, which was apparently contagious because moments later Ofelia yawned with a grimace of pain.

Emily watched Ofelia as she sat stiff on the couch beside her, wincing, letting out small yelps as she changed her position. She looked warm, as small droplets of sweat began to slide down from her forehead. "You're in pain." It was blatantly obvious.

Ofelia's jaw clenched as she looked at Emily, her eyes glossy and hollow.

"We should find you a room, so you can get some rest. I can help, if you like?" Emily offered, placing out a hand to help Ofelia from the couch. "Come on, it'll hurt le-..." Emily stopped mid sentence as she was interrupted by several importune screams for help. She sat up promptly, extending her neck to peer out of the window.

There was a large group of people drifting undirected.

Suddenly Alicia and Madison moved passed the two of them, who despite the cries stayed planted on the couch. Emily was concerned for those people, she _really_ was but she was heavy with fatigue and didn't see much point in hovering on the side of the yacht to stare at them; unable to help. As Alicia descended the stairs that lead to the state rooms, Madison headed up.

Ofelia and Emily listened to muffled arguments between Strand and Madison, watching Travis follow Alicia to the outside deck, to then watch Alicia dart back inside and grab the radio from behind Ofelia. She shot the both of them a somewhat dissapointed look for perhaps their lack of motivation to move towards the situation at hand, stepping outside yet again.

Emily felt dizzy from the number of times Alicia crossed her line of view in the last three minutes. The constant need to be on alert in this infected world was enervating and Emily was rapidly growing tired of it. She slumped back to her previous position, letting out a hefty sigh, closing her eyes for a fleeting moment.

* * *

It was still early morning and the sun was continuing to rise higher into the sky, Emily leant back resting her elbows on the railing behind her. Rays of light were emerging from behind the clouds, they were warm and soft on Emily's cheeks. Closing her eyes once again, Emily took in a deep breath of salt stained oxygen and reflected on the previous day - the day that seemed to drag on for almost an eternity.

"Have you slept?"

Emily's eyes opened, interrupting her deliberation, to meet with Madison's. Her hazel eyes, bleary and working hard to confront the morning sun, she was leaning against the door frame with her arms folded. Emily rubbed her raw eyes before answering, "no ma'am."

"Shall we find you a room then?" The corners of her eyes crinkled simultaneously with the dimples on her cheeks.

"Yes please."

Madison turned on one heel towards the interior of the boat, but before stepping forward she shot a look to Emily, "also, please don't call me ma'am again. Maddy will do." She grinned.

Emily followed Madison through the main floor before heading down a staircase to the lower level of the boat. The lower level consisted of a single corridor with a number doors planted on either side. Madison opened one of the doors at the end of the corridor and gestured for Emily to step inside.

"Sorry, I know they're small. Also, you'll be sharing with Alicia, if that's okay?" She asked.

"Not the smallest room I've slept in." Emily whispered as gravity pulled her towards one of the beds, she sat down on the end of the bed and kicked off her shoes in a hurry before falling backwards. The mattress was so soft that it felt as if Emily was going to be swallowed whole as she sank further into it. "Thank you Maddy." She uttered before drifting between a state of consciousness and sleep.

"Goodnight." Madison whispered, pulling the door closed behind her.

* * *

It wasn't long before Emily was woken abruptly by the door of her room swinging open. She shot up, gripping the edge of the bed, scrunching her eyes in attempt to have them adjust faster to the change in light, then wiping her eyes with a single hand before running it through her hair.

"I'm so sorry!" Alicia apologised frantically, whilst fumbling the radio, that was now her _duty_ , pulling it closer to her chest.

"You really don't like knocking do you?" Emily jested, rubbing the crusted sleep from her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I-..."

"It's okay. Your mum said I can stay in this room with you, if you don't mind?" Emily interrupted.

"That's fine, totally fine." Alicia asserted, nodding her head, her eyes flitting from Emily to the radio she was holding in her hands.

Emily understood the message behind Alicia's eyes, even if Alicia didn't intend to send a message, she received one. "Um, well… I was actually just about to step out, so I'll catch you later." Rising to her feet stretching her arms high above her head and slipping her shoes back over her aching feet.

"Really? You can stay?" Alicia shot her a skeptical eye.

She turned back to look at Alicia from the doorway before stepping out, "it's fine, I need some sun anyways."

* * *

Emily climbed steadily up the stairs onto the upper deck, where there were two deck chairs, one already occupied. "Is this seat taken?" Pointing towards the vacant seat.

Nick looked up at her, shading himself from direct eye-contact with the sun that sat blazing directly above them. He grinned, "all yours."

She adjusted the head of the chair so her body would sit at an obtuse angle, lowering herself onto the deck chair in one swift movement, running her hands through her knotted blonde hair, before resting them above her head. The two of them sat in a comfortable silence for a period of time, allowing the warmth of the sun to sink into their bones.

Whilst bathing in the sun and the silence, she found it difficult to remain awake, her body urging to doze off, though the question repeating itself in her mind and burning on the edge of her tongue kept her from allowing herself to slip into repose. "Why'd you do it?" She couldn't hold it in any longer. "Why'd you leave it unlocked?"

Nick propped himself up onto his elbows and turned to face Emily, remaining silent as if he was rolling the reasons around in his head, searching for the right one. Biting his lip and scrunching his face in concentration, "I-..."

"I mean, thank you, of course! You saved my life and you didn't have to, so I am grateful." She blurted out in a hurried mess.

Nick chuckled before returning to his lying position. The silence slipped in again and Emily thought that must of been the end of their conversation and closed her eyes peacefully. "I don't know why I left it unlocked, but I'm glad I did."

Emily didn't open her eyes or mouth to respond, she just let her lips curve into a satisfied smile as her heart jerked at his kind words, allowing herself now, slowly give in to the temptation of sleep.

* * *

Emily and Nick were both woken gently by Madison, who had placed a soft hand on Emily's knee giving it a light shake. Emily blinked her eyes open letting out a sleepy yawn and turned her attention to Madison. "We're going to hold a service for Liza, if you'd like to attend." Madison asked, so quiet Emily almost missed it.

Emily nodded politely, averting her tired gaze to her wrist watch. _17:00._ "Useless thing." She mumbled in a gruff, low tone sleepy voice of hers.

* * *

"Um, you all knew Liza long enough to see what kind of person she was, how dedicated she was to her family…", Travis opened with as they all stood around a table, Liza atop, covered with a thin white sheet.

 _Family._ A foreign concept to Emily, especially a family with dedication to one another, one willing to sacrifice their life for their own blood. She slid her hand into the pocket of her jeans and gripped the small ornament within tightly. Family wasn't permanent for her, just as everything else in this God forsaken world.

Emily bit into her lip, trying to place her frustrated thoughts at bay, she turns her attention back to Travis "...she would help anyone and she did." His eyes became glossy with faint tears streaking the side of his face, "she was strong, painful sometimes." He chuckles to himself, fighting back his obvious emotion.

Turning to her left slowly, Emily watches as Chris emerges, her eyes following him as he approaches the head of the table. Silence abruptly surrounds everyone and in a fit of pique, Chris grabs the head of the table and yanks upwards, tossing his mother carelessly into the water. Everyone watching wide-eyed, their lips parted in horror as Chris turns to makes his departure.

* * *

Without a moment to think on her decision, Emily found herself ascended the stairs to find Strand, she marches up behind him and startles him with her sudden outburst, "look, I know you hate me. You have made that considerably clear to me but I promise you I will prove my worth!"

Strand swivels in his chair to face her, "I don't hate you."

"What? Are you kidding me? You wanted me locked in a cage! In fact you demanded Nick to keep me locked me in a cage!" She rebutted with rage beginning to seep into her veins.

"I didn't know you and I thought you may have slowed me down." He was calm and assertive, his words clean and crisp rolling off his tongue. "Also, you have proven your worth." Strand turns back to his view of the sea that spanned out before them.

"I have?" She felt the tug of a smile at the corners of her lips and the rage disappear.

"You're stupid and reckless and put life on the line for those who you don't even know, but you have heart and you-..." Strand pauses mid-sentence. His brow furrows and tilts his head, "what are they talking about?"

Emily was taken back by what she thinks was a compliment from Strand, before being confused by his unusual behaviour, "what? Who?"

Strand pushed himself from the chair to his feet and headed down stairs, Emily quickly followed muttering "what the fuck is he doing?" quietly under her breath as she descended the staircase.

"Who the hell's Jack?" The room fell silent as Strand butted in. Stopping mid-staircase Emily decided it would be best to take a seat, in an almost attempt to hide from Strand. "You're going to make me ask twice?"

"He's on a fishing boat near here and he's sinking" Alicia pleaded as a worried look cast over her face.

"You talked to him?"

"Yes I talked to him."

"Did you tell him anything about us?" His eyes narrowed on Alicia.

"Uh, no." Almost choking on her words. "No I didn't tell him anything important."

Strand's hands transition into tight fists, "what didn't you say Alicia, what didn't you tell him about us." His tone frustrated and raised.

"Strand" Emily intervened simultaneously with Travis who continued to tell Strand to calm down.

After a few fiery words directed back at Travis, Strand steps backwards and licks his lips, his brow stiff. "Please. Let me explain the rules of the boat. Rule one, it's _my_ boat. Rule number two, it's _my boat._ Any confusion about that, I offer rule three, _it's my Goddamn boat._ If it weren't for me you would all be burned." He turned on the spot towards the stairs, "you're welcome" he spat out as he pushed passed Emily.

* * *

It was nearing sunset when the tension that had remained long after Strand made his rules clear to the group began to clear and Emily could begin to hear muffled conversation taking place upstairs, along with an unusual but enticing smell that followed. She sat up on the edge of her bed, the lower bunk, and caught a whiff of cooked fish, this was enough to draw her from her room.

Reaching the top of the stairs, she was face-to-face with Ofelia, stopping suddenly before collision they both smiled at one another. "I was just about to come and grab you, dinner is ready." Ofelia added as her smile grew.

"Smells… interesting." Emily responded with a grin.

Everyone was gathering around the small dining table, noticing the great big _cooked eel_ that was positioned in the middle of the table, surrounded by smaller plates filled with various salads. "What's that?" Alicia shrieked approaching the table.

Travis offered drinks as Emily picked at the salad before sliding into a seat, continuing to eye off the different types of food available, whilst Nick found a larger knife to begin carving the eel. Everyone was submerged in the comfort and happiness that this meal has provided, when it was suddenly discontinued by a loud splash from behind the yacht.

Nick was the first to move toward the back of the yacht who without hesitation dived into the water, whilst the others watched on from the outside deck, Emily didn't bother to follow as she noticed Alicia duck out an adjacent door with _her_ radio in hand.

Momentarily, Emily remained inside, telling herself that it were Alicia's business and that she wouldn't follow. It didn't remain only Alicia's business for long as Emily moments later decided to follow her out.

Alicia stood silently on the bow of the yacht, radio in hand, overlooking the sea ahead of them.

"Alicia?"

She remained still, her stare fixated ahead. Emily approached her slowly and placed her hand around Alicia's wrist causing her to jolt and turn towards Emily. "Are you okay?" Emily questioned as she let go of her wrist, pulling her hand back beside herself.

"I'm fine." Bluntly said in response.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

Alicia turned back toward the water and swallowed hard. "This is all my fault."

"What is? Alicia, what's going on?"

Without a word Alicia turned back towards Emily and wrapped her arms around her neck, pulling her face into the crease of Emily's neck. Emily froze, shocked at this sudden display of affection, before wrapping her arms around the waist of Alicia, "whatever it is, we will work it out." She promised Alicia as her shoulder became gradually damp. She wasn't sure how, but they would.


End file.
